FMM: Recipe Exchange

Happy Monday!  Today has been the BEST!  Not only did I step on the scale and see that I lost 1.2 lbs, putting me into the next weight “decade,” but when I got to work, I got four separate compliments on my outfit!  Gotta love days that start like that, right?

I missed last week’s Friend Makin’ Monday, so I’m really excited about this one.  I love this week’s topic because I love to cook and try out new recipes.

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links, as well so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers, so take a moment to write your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts.  Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

FMM: Recipe Exchange

Let’s share one or two of our favorite Fall recipes this week!  It’s always fun to mix things up in the kitchen!

The following is a “re-blog” of a recipe I originally posted back in November 2009.

Bella Cooks: Michigan Rainstorm-Inspired Soup

As the title suggests, this soup was inspired by a terrible rainstorm that we got caught in on our way to Michigan to visit my uncle for Thanksgiving in 2009.  When we got to the airport in Chicago, we rented a car and were prepared to drive 2 hours to my uncle’s house in Niles, Michigan.  We didn’t expect the bad weather and terrible holiday traffic.  These factors caused our drive time to increase to 4 hours!  We were in the car as long as we had been in the plane from California!!!  We were so tired, cranky, and hungry by the time we arrived at my uncle’s house that we were willing to eat anything.  My uncle had a great spread for us, which included a soup just like this one.  I enjoyed it so much that I decided to try to replicate it, using lower calorie ingredients.

I actually think I like my version better!

Michigan Rainstorm Inspired Soup

1 container (32 oz) Trader Joe’s Butternut Squash Soup
12 oz smoked turkey kielbasa
1 cup (dry) wild rice

(Optional)
garlic powder
salt
hot sauce (I used a fire roasted chili pepper sauce from Trader Joe’s)

This recipe makes 4 huge servings.  

Nutritionals: (per serving) 316 calories, 40g carbs, 8g fat, 21g protein.

Directions:

Cook rice according to package directions.  The brand I used cooks quickly, and was done in 12 minutes.

While the rice is cooking, heat the kielbasa.  I used my George Foreman grill, but you could quickly heat it in a skillet, or even in the mircowave.

Pour butternut squash soup into a medium saucepan and heat on low.  Add cooked rice and heated kielbasa.  Heat through.  Serve.

When I first tasted the warm soup, I felt it was very blah, so I started adding seasonings to it.  Feel free to add whichever flavors you enjoy. I added garlic powder, a bit of  salt, and a large amount of fire-roasted chili sauce.  It really helped to give the soup some kick, which is the way I like it.

I paired the soup with a salad of mixed greens, Persian cucumbers, and crumbled goat cheese, with a poppy seed dressing.

The rice makes the soup thick and hearty, while the kielbasa gives it smokiness (as well as some protein).  I will definitely “cook” this again.  It was super-simple and quick!  I was done in less than 15 minutes!!

Now it’s your turn to share one of your favorites! Don’t forget to go to Kenlie’s blog and link up in the comments! Happy Monday!